1. Field of the Invention
The subject matter of the present invention is a position sensor, preferably an angle sensor configured to detect a rotation angle of a shaft, comprising a leadframe on which the electronic components of the position sensor are arranged and to which said electronic components are electrically connected, an encapsulation comprising a plastic, with the encapsulation surrounding at least the electronic components and thus forming a sensor module with the leadframe, a plurality of electrical connections of the sensor module are formed by the leadframe, and a carrier module that accommodates the sensor module, with the carrier module having electrical connections that are electrically conductively connected to the electrical connections of the sensor module.
2. Description of Related Art
Position sensors of this kind are connected to an actuator, with the position sensor comprising a magnet associated with the actuator and electronic components, and is equipped with electrical plug connections, for example a so-called customer plug. The position sensors are used in internal combustion engines where they detect the rotation position of actuators for controlling the internal combustion engine, for example in the load-control system, exhaust-gas return system, air flaps in the intake section, or the adjustment system of the blades of a turbocharger. The carrier module is often in the form of a housing cover, and therefore the angle sensor itself is closed in a protected manner in a unit, with the electrical plug connections being in the form of a customer plug designed in accordance with the customers' wishes and permits electrical connection to the motor electronics system.
In this case, the actual angle sensor comprises a leadframe on which the electronic components are arranged. Electronic components are understood to be semiconductor chips, sensor elements, and interference-suppression components. Said electronic components are, in particular, at least one magnetoresistive measurement sensor or a Hall sensor, in semiconductor technology, with a chip also already associated with the evaluation electronics in the case of a measurement sensor. Furthermore, there are capacitors to improve the electromagnetic compatibility. The redundant design with two measurement sensors and two associated evaluation electronics systems is advantageous to increase reliability when detecting the rotation angle position of a throttle flap.
It is known to electrically connect the electronic components of the angle sensor directly to a leadframe and to encapsulate the leadframe without the carrier module having the electronic components with a thermoset in order to form an angle sensor module, and then to insert and secure the angle sensor module in a receptacle of the carrier module and to connect said angle sensor module to the electrical connections (DE 10 2006 046 984 A1). In this case, the angle sensor module has to be secured on the carrier module such that the securing operation is firstly stable in the long-term and secondly dimensionally and positionally stable. By way of example, screwing ensures a very reliable securing arrangement. However, securing of this kind is associated with high costs. Simpler and more cost-effective securing methods are also known but these are often unsuitable for ensuring reliable and vibration-resistant securing and positioning under the special operating conditions of an angle sensor in an internal combustion engine. The temperature range of −40° C. to 160° C. alone already places considerable demands on positioning and securing elements.